


Disturbing the Rhythm

by Shellah (trinaest)



Category: Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-02-05
Updated: 2003-02-05
Packaged: 2017-10-09 11:33:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/86853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trinaest/pseuds/Shellah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Frottage Challenge. The title says it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disturbing the Rhythm

**Author's Note:**

> My second fic. My first smut. I was inspired by (and this is an entry for) the Frottage Challenge issued by LaT and Thamiris. Thanks again to my fabulous beta and not-so-evil twin, Celli. Don't think I'd have the guts to do this without you! _hugs_

Clark's first quarter in college, he barely made it through finals. By the last day, he was exhausted from obsessive studying and last-minute polishing of papers that were due that week. His last final was early Friday afternoon--he had yet to realize that he should check the finals schedule when picking his classes--and when he left the exam there was only one place he wanted to be.

Without even considering other options, or stopping by his dorm room, Clark headed to Lex's penthouse. When he arrived at the lobby, the guards let Clark pass with a smile. Clark, whose extreme tiredness made him single-minded in purpose, hardly glanced their way as he passed. He used his key and the security code Lex had given him to let himself into the private elevator that led to the upper, residential, floors of the skyscraper. At the top floor, Clark stepped out of the elevator and made his way to the den. Lex was on the telephone and looked up in surprise when he heard Clark's footsteps, then waved Clark to a seat on the comfortable sofa.

Clark gratefully dropped onto the sofa, sighing with relief. He settled in to wait for Lex to get off the phone, and promptly fell asleep.

Lex, realizing that he had an exhausted college student to take care of, immediately set about clearing his calendar for the afternoon and evening. Then, with an affectionate glance at his sleeping friend, he went back to his work.

* * *

The next quarter, Lex was prepared. He knew when Clark's finals were over (Thursday, this time) and had purposely kept the afternoon and evening free so he would be available when Clark needed him.

After Clark's long nap on the sofa, he convinced Lex to take him--again--to his favorite local diner. After dinner, they caught a movie. Lex considered this day his end-of-term gift to Clark. After the stress of finals, he needed the time to recharge and relax, and Lex was happy to help.

And so the routine was set, another rhythm to their friendship.

* * *

Another finals week, Winter Quarter of Clark's Junior year. Clark strode through the door with a "Hey, Lex," and dropped into a casual sprawl on a sofa. Lex, tearing his eyes away from his computer screen and yet another spreadsheet, glanced at the familiar sight across from him and grinned.

They weren't in Smallville, and Clark was no longer in high school, but some things, apparently, would never change. "Clark. How were your finals?"

Clark groaned and replied, "Mostly, not too bad. The tests weren't that hard, but studying for them kicked my ass. I don't know why I let finals get to me. I can't just let it slide; there's always that one last page to read, one last note to go over, and, worst of all, the papers! I'm getting completely compulsive about editing my papers. At this rate, I'll never be a journalist. I'll never be able to finish a story and turn it in. I've hardly slept all week and I'm just...tired." With that, he seemed to run out of nervous energy and began to relax. Almost before Lex could formulate a response, Clark settled more comfortably into the sofa and started to drift off to sleep.

Lex chuckled quietly to himself and turned back to his computer.

* * *

Three hours later, Lex looked up at the clock, then over at Clark, who should be waking up any time now. Closing his computer for the evening, he leaned back in his chair and stretched. He stood, circled the desk silently, and walked out of the room.

A few minutes later, Lex returned, carrying a pair of shoes and wearing considerably less formal clothing than he had been when Clark arrived. He had found that a soft grey sweater and a pair of comfortable black jeans were much more appropriate for taking Clark out for his end-of-term dinner than a stuffy business suit. As he started to walk across the room, he saw Clark stir.

Clark slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Lex, who was moving toward him. "I've really made a habit of this, haven't I?" he asked a little sheepishly, struggling into something that resembled a seated, rather than reclining, position.

Lex just swatted lightly at Clark's feet, "Move over," and sat down to put on his shoes. Clark kicked playfully at Lex, then stretched and yawned.

"Think you're going to be able to stay awake through dinner?" Lex teased.

"Sure I will, you know I'm always fine after a nap."

"Yes, after three years of this I think I have the routine down. Ready to go?" Lex finished tying his shoe and glanced over at Clark, who was grinning at him in rather a silly way. "What?"

"Oh...nothing, really. It just occurred to me that you must plan in advance for my last day of finals. I don't know why I didn't realize it before, but you're always here when I get done. Even though you're so busy all the time..." Clark's voice trailed off.

"Well, the first time I wasn't--the first quarter of your freshman year. When you showed up I had to scramble to move appointments around. But, yes, since then I've learned to work a particular napping college student into my schedule."

Clark gave Lex a considering look, then stood up and held out a hand toward Lex. Lex looked at him curiously, shrugged mentally, then grasped the hand and pulled himself to his feet.

Clark let Lex's hand drop, and said, "Let's get going then, and enjoy the time you set aside for me." Flashing a quick grin, he turned and headed for the door.

"I'm right behind you," Lex replied as he picked up his keys and followed Clark out.

* * *

"Clark, explain to me again why we always end up at this diner? You know I could take you somewhere much nicer." Lex glanced around distastefully at the old-fashioned decor. Red leather booths, shiny black tabletops, black and white checks, and a bar! The diner actually had a bar where people sat side-by-side eating their greasy food and drinking their milkshakes.

"Lex, how many times have we had this conversation? I like this place. You like this place, too, once you stop criticizing and start relaxing. It's just like an old 50s-era diner. Great milkshakes--made with homemade ice cream--great food. What more could you want?" He paused. "Split a coffee shake with me?"

"Sure, why not?" Lex, resigned to his fate, answered as he idly flipped through the menu.

The waitress approached to take their order.

"I'll have a BLT, and we're going to split an extra-thick coffee shake," Clark ordered.

"And I'll have a burger with fries. Want to get some onion rings, too?" he asked Clark.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Clark smiled at the waitress as she walked off to relay their order to the kitchen.

While they waited for their dinner to arrive, Clark and Lex chatted with an ease that came from seven years of friendship and the shared trials of living in Smallville, Kansas. For most people, being kidnapped, assaulted, or otherwise involved in violence was not a weekly occurrence. For them, however, it had been a fact of life, and one that had drawn them even closer over time. How often does someone have to save your life before they become an integral part of it? And the saving was not always performed by Clark. Lex had done his fair share of saving as well.

Over the years, the friends had developed a sort of rhythm. When one needed help, the other stepped in. It was as simple as that. And as complicated. Lex never hesitated to turn his schedule upside down for Clark, and Clark never hesitated to rush to Lex's side when he was needed. In spite of the protests and disbelief of friends and relatives, they remained the best of friends. At this stage, Clark's secrets were not so much secret as simply unspoken. And if there were times that a shared look lasted a little longer than was usually considered acceptable, or contained rather more heat than was normally shared between best friends...well, that simply went unspoken, too.

* * *

As they strolled back to Lex's car after dinner, Clark chuckled, "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy that, Lex. I think you ate more than I did!"

"Yes, well, you don't eat as much now as you did when you were a teenager."

"And that is relevant because...? Come on, Lex, just admit you like the diner and we can quit having that silly conversation every time we eat here."

Lex sighed loudly and begrudgingly admitted, "Fine. I like it. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic."

Lex glared for a moment, but then his eyes twinkled with a grin. "How do you get me to admit to things like that? I would never have admitted to anyone else in the world that I like eating at an old-fashioned greasy-food diner. And drinking milkshakes, for God's sake."

"Lex, you've been telling me things that you'd never tell anyone else since I was fifteen years old. No need to stop now."

A pause as they both settled into the Porsche, and then Clark mused aloud, "You know, I'm older now than you were when we first met."

"So you are. Is that significant for some reason?"

"I don't know. Maybe?" Clark looked at Lex like he was trying to work out the answer to a puzzle.

Lex simply returned the gaze, waiting patiently for Clark to finish his perusal.

Finally, Clark shook his head and Lex started the car.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to go out to a movie or something, Clark? We're breaking with tradition here," Lex asked as he drove into the secure parking garage.

"We're not so much breaking the tradition as reforming it. Let's relax and watch a DVD at home instead of sitting in a theater where we can't talk."

Lex slipped the Porsche into its slot and smiled a little at Clark's use of the word "home" to describe the penthouse, but refrained from mentioning it. "OK, that sounds good to me. And this is your night, of course, so your wish is my command."

Clark blushed subtly as he considered that remark. Shrugging it off, he got out of the car and waited for Lex to join him. They walked to the elevator in companionable silence.

* * *

"Clark, you have terrible taste in movies. Let me pick something."

"Hey, what happened to 'your wish is my command'? Are you rescinding that offer already?"

"Hmm. All right, you win. But only because you have the memory of an elephant and I can't think of a way out of it," Lex replied good-naturedly. "So what are we going to watch?"

"How about Empire Records? No, let me restate that. You don't get a vote. We're watching Empire Records. And you can't hate it that badly, since you own it."

"I see no reason to even respond to that. So. Do we need snacks? Popcorn?"

"No, I'm not hungry, we just ate. Just come sit down and watch." Clark settled comfortably into the sofa across from the wide screen TV, picking up the remote control and patting the sofa next to him. Lex joined Clark on the sofa, sitting on the other end and tucking his feet under him.

As the movie progressed, both men relaxed and got more comfortable. Lex stretched his legs out along the sofa, so Clark absently lifted Lex's feet into his lap to give Lex more room.

Absorbed in the movie, Clark had been absently petting Lex's lower legs, which were draped across his lap, for quite some time. Lex was enjoying it, but he was also getting a little uncomfortable as certain parts of his body began to display a little more interest in events. At the same time, he was being soothed both by the constant petting and by the familiar movie playing in the background, and was starting to feel a little sleepy. Sighing quietly, he decided sleep was the safer option and closed his eyes.

As soon as Lex closed his eyes, Clark, who was not as blind--or as innocent--as Lex often seemed to think, began surreptitiously allowing his right hand to stray a little farther up Lex's legs. The first time his hand reached Lex's knee, Lex's breath hitched, so quietly that it wouldn't have been noticeable if Clark weren't paying attention. Clark let a small smile play on his face as he continued to watch the movie and caress Lex, all the while listening for reactions.

When Clark's hands continued their gentle--yet ever more daring--exploration, Lex began to get suspicious. Not wanting to confront the matter, though, he remained still and breathed slowly, as if he were asleep.

Clark, however, was not fooled by Lex's performance, and started to wonder how to get more of a reaction out of him--short of simply jumping on him, then and there. "Hey, Lex?" he whispered.

Lex stirred a little, but didn't pull away, "Yeah?"

"I can tell you aren't sleeping. You don't have to pretend."

"Mmm. I thought you'd stop if you knew I was awake." Lex lazily opened one eye and smirked at Clark. "I was enjoying it too much to risk that."

Clark chuckled in response. "Oh really? Because I could probably come up with some other things that you would enjoy."

At that, Lex's eyes flew open and he sat up. "What do you mean by that?"

"Relax, Lex, lie back down. I was teasing." Pause. "Well, sort of anyway."

Lex settled back down into his end of the sofa, giving Clark a thoughtful look. "Are you sure about that?"

"Look, Lex, we've had the 'by the way, your best friend is gay' talk. Twice, by my count."

"Yes...but I never thought _my_ best friend was interested in me."

"Well, maybe he is. Want to come over here and find out?"

In answer, Lex slowly sat up, pulling his feet from Clark's lap, then crawled across the couch to settle by Clark's side. Lex leaned over him, bracing one hand on the arm of the sofa and resting the other against Clark's neck. When he was close enough to feel Clark's breath against his lips, he whispered, "Are you sure about this?"

Instead of responding, Clark tilted his head forward until their lips were touching. Clark groaned softly and pressed forward harder, lifting a hand to the back of Lex's head. Lex took that as encouragement and tilted his head further to deepen the kiss. He parted his lips slightly, encouraging Clark to follow suit. When the gesture was returned, Lex's tongue slipped gently into Clark's mouth, thoroughly exploring the new territory. He groaned when Clark's tongue reached out to touch his own and they languidly explored each other's mouths until Lex pulled back to catch his breath.

Leaning back on his heels, Lex looked expectantly at Clark, "Well?"

Clark, looking more than a little stunned with swollen lips and flushed skin, had no idea what Lex was asking. "What?"

"Is my best friend interested in me or not?"

"Oh. Yeah, I think it's safe to say he is." Wrapping his arm around Lex's waist, Clark maneuvered Lex until he was sprawled mostly in Clark's lap and leaned in for another long kiss.

When the movie credits began to roll, Clark and Lex pulled apart and looked at each other a little breathlessly.

"You know, I don't remember making out being part of the traditional after-finals celebration." Lex chuckled, untangling himself from Clark and groping for the remote control.

"I think it's time we updated the tradition. Don't you?" Clark grinned at Lex.

"Maybe it is, indeed. But now...I think maybe we should get some sleep. If we continue this things might get a little...out of hand. And you might be free to sleep as long as you want tomorrow, but some of us still have to go to work."

Clark reluctantly agreed and, after they moved around the room turning off lights and electronic equipment, they walked down the hall toward the bedrooms. Stopping at the door to the bedroom that Clark always used, Lex kissed Clark lightly and pulled away. "Goodnight, Clark."

"Goodnight, Lex." Clark watched Lex walk toward his own room, then turned and went inside.

* * *

Some time later, Lex was awakened by the click of his bedroom door opening.

A whisper, "Lex? Is it OK if I come in?"

"Yeah, Clark. Come in," was the immediate reply. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Well, yes, sort of. I just hate sleeping in that room. You feel so far away. I've always felt that way."

Surprised by the admission, Lex replied, "You have? Why didn't you ever say anything?" He sat up, scooting a little to the side and pulling back a corner of the blanket in invitation. "Come here. It's cold, get in bed."

Clark slid gratefully under the blankets and turned toward Lex. "I have, actually...this isn't the first time I've ended up in your bed, you know. It's just the first time I've ended up in your bed after making out with you for an hour on the couch."

Chuckling, Lex agreed, "That's true. It's always felt a little more...platonic in the past, though. We were usually just watching TV and talking, and you fell asleep."

"Well, I didn't quite go so far as to plan it those times, but I never felt like I should just come out and ask to sleep in here with you."

Lex looked at him seriously, "You could have, you know. I doubt I'd have refused you anything it was in my power to give."

"That's why I never asked. I needed to be sure, and you needed to be sure of me."

"Are you sure now?"

"Yeah, I am."

Lex slid over next to Clark, wrapping an arm around Clark's waist. "I'm glad. Go to sleep." He snuggled up to Clark, tucking his head under Clark's chin.

Clark obligingly wrapped his arms around Lex, leaning to place a soft kiss on top of Lex's smooth head. Somehow, that quick kiss seemed more intimate than almost anything they'd done that night.

* * *

After a few hours, Lex woke up, aware that he was going to have to get up and go to work soon. He carefully untangled himself from Clark just enough to be able to watch him for a few minutes in the meager light coming in through the windows. He reached out to lightly touch Clark's cheek, pushing a few stray strands of hair away from his face. Clark sighed, moving into the touch, then opened his eyes. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's OK, I'd rather wake up when you're here than wake up to find you already gone."

Lex smiled and leaned forward to kiss Clark lightly, "I really do need to get up soon, but I have a little time."

Clark's sleepy smile turned a little wicked as he reached out to pull Lex closer. Both men gasped a little, caught off guard, when their already hardening cocks brushed against each other through the thin fabric of their boxer shorts.

Clark pulled Lex harder against himself, kissing him and stroking his tongue inside Lex's mouth. Lex responded by beginning to rock his body rhythmically against Clark's, enthusiastically joining in the kiss. The friction of hard cocks rubbing against each other through the fabric barrier was exquisite. Both men were panting and beginning to sweat. Lex wrapped an arm around Clark's neck, threading his fingers through Clark's hair to guide their kiss deeper, and ran his left hand down Clark's side. Clark, with his left arm wrapped around Lex's waist, stroked his other hand across Lex's back and then down, settling in his sweaty lower back and holding him close.

Lex continued his wiggling, rocking motion against Clark's body, while Clark pressed as closely as he could, groaning into Lex's mouth as the exquisite pressure increased. He gasped and started moving more frantically against Lex when Lex's hand moved down to cup Clark's ass, squeezing firmly. Noticing Clark's reaction, Lex grinned and slid his hand under Clark's boxers to massage his ass, his fingertips brushing lightly against the cleft.

Both men were now rubbing against each other frantically and arrhythmically, straining to increase the pressure against their cocks as they approached climax. Clark pulled his mouth away from Lex's to gasp, "Oh God, Lex, I'm-"

"Shh, Clark, it's OK. I want you to. Come for me, Clark," Lex murmured between kisses.

Almost as if he had been awaiting permission, Clark stiffened at Lex's whispered words, muffling a shout with Lex's mouth as his orgasm rocked him. Lex, too, stiffened for a moment as Clark climaxed, but then began rocking against Clark again with renewed vigor while Clark held him close with one arm around his waist and the other hand cupping Lex's ass, escalating the pressure. Lex's movements became increasingly frantic until he, too, abruptly stopped moving and came, shouting Clark's name.

They clutched each other, trembling as they slowly came down from the high. Lex's hand was still tangled in Clark's sweaty hair while Clark's hand gently stroked up and down Lex's damp back. Their kisses had turned from frantic to gentle and deep, searching.

As they started to relax, pulling apart so they could look at each other, Clark laughed quietly, "You know, I could get used to being woken up for this every morning."

Lex reached out, brushing Clark's damp hair off his forehead, and replied seriously, "So could I." After a moment, Lex reluctantly pulled away and sighed, "I really do have to get up and get to the office, though. I have an early meeting."

He climbed out of bed and stood up, then suddenly leaned over to plant a quick kiss on Clark's temple. "I do need to take a shower, though, and there's plenty of room in there for two..." He trailed off as he strolled toward the bathroom door, not bothering to look back.

(end)

**Author's Note:**

> The diner is modeled after one of my favorite places, the Peninsula Fountain &amp; Grill in Palo Alto, CA. I always get a BLT, JP and I always share an extra-thick coffee shake, and we often get onion rings. And they do make their own ice cream!


End file.
